The Forsyth Fire burning in Pine Valley, Utah, United States, grew to 7,045 acres (approximately 28.5 sq km) overnight and continued to spread on Monday. Firefighters told FOX 13 News that they made their first significant breakthrough in 24 hours, crediting a slight increase in humidity and easing winds for the improved conditions.The massive fire, which began in the Pine Valley Mountains on Thursday, has destroyed infrastructure and forced some residents in rural southwest Utah to evacuate. The fire has spread rapidly, with at least 14 homes destroyed. As of Monday 5 pm local time, the wildfire was still reported at zero per cent containment.Fire crews are focusing on preventing further damage by containing the blaze within the rugged canyons, where fewer structures are located. The smoke in the area has largely taken the form of a white haze, with hillside stained pink by fire retardant deployed during Sunday’s air operations. Currently, five divisions of firefighters are active within the fire zone, with one team specifically assigned to structure protection. Over the past 24 hours, fire breaks have been burned around an equestrian campground and a cabin on Pine Valley’s eastern side to eliminate fuel in the event that wildfire spreads further. Authorities are maintaining strict access control to the fire affected areas. “We don’t want to have people in there and have a search and rescue operation on top of the firefighting,” Stevenson added.The firefighting efforts remain ongoing, as crews navigate challenging terrain in their bid to establish containment lines and protect surrounding communities.
